Pondering Progress....
For 25 years, we have been working in environments where progress is key, and goes hand in hand with ‘moving forwards’, ‘gaining positive momentum’, ‘working towards the critical performance indicators’ and therefore securing and achieving set goals, performance growth and organisational worth. For many, their personal and professional success is measured by what has been changed, how much further forward they are, how much they have done, how much more they have got and therefore how much progress they have made.
Interestingly, in sport, athletes make the most progress on their rest days as their bodies build recovery potential from training loads. In medical contexts, viruses recede, systems recover and positive signs of health return, grow and progress, during and after rest. In nature, the most progress in terms of growth potential occurs, after the soil, plants, trees and animals have had chance to lay dormant , still and rest for a while.
In the last six months, we have made more personal progress than we have made professional progress in the last 25 years. Progress that was made by firstly stepping back and realising how much time and energy is wasted, and how much life is missed by purely moving forwards. In the quest for forward momentum and looking ahead, we lose sight of how we feel, where we are , and even who we are and who we want to be and be with, right now. Progress that was made by secondly, being still - neither stepping back nor moving forwards - just being still………under trees, lots and lots of trees.
Meaningful, impactful progress is no longer getting the email inbox to less than three digits, recruiting above target, generating surplus and/or exceeding exponential trends; it’s being still…..no agitation, no irritability, no frustration, no targets, no pressure, no moving forwards…..just being still……..until the trees say, ‘I’m ready to grow again now, wanna watch?’…….and that’s the sort of progress, really worth moving for. 🧙♂️🧝♀️
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Progress
Life's got better recently.
I'm seeing less of people I don't like,
and more of those I do.
The former are too confident.
They charge through life like tanks,
trying to flatten all resistance.
And those I like?
Unsure, still looking round:
they talk without that desperate need to win.
They know that life is short
and should be spent in search of beauty, love,
true friendship and good moments:
a quest for harmony with nature,
within ourselves and with each other.
